Courage
by Lusitania
Summary: Ray has returned to the village and reunites with Mariah. An incident at the market place urges Mariah to confess her feelings to him. Watch out for this fic's sequel: A RayMariRaytorture fic.
1. Chapter 1:Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade nor do I own any of its characters

This is my first RayxMariah fic. Enjoy!!!

Ages:

Mariah—13

Lee—16

Ray—16

Kevin—12

Gary—17

We'll be using the clothes the characters used on Beyblade G-Revolution since I think they look best there

**Chapter I: Reunion**

The sun shone brightly over the mountain on a town in china. It's the hometown of the renowned White Tigers team. Today is a special day for the people there because it is on that day that Ray Kon would finally return.

All of the villagers seem to be excited but the most excited of them all has to be Mariah. It's no big secret that she's best friends with Ray. The secret is that she's actually _in love_ with him. Only a select few know about this, specifically, the white tigers.

"GIVE ME BACK MY DRESS KEVIN!!!" the normally sweet and cheerful pink haired girl chased the younger person who has in his hands a pink dress that Ray personally gave her.

"Twenty bucks and I'll give it back to you" Kevin shouted back.

"Why you little rascal!!! Come back here" Mariah launched her beyblade, Galux making the target fall face down on the ground…HARD.

"Ouch" Kevin grunted sitting up and scratching his cheek. Just then, Mariah snatched the pink dress away from him.

"Give me that" the female exclaimed. She examined the dress for a few seconds then gave the green haired boy a clonk on the head. "YOU RUINED IT!!!"

"What's so important about that dress anyway?" Kevin sat Indian style and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ray gave this to me" Mariah replied, an animated vein popped by her head.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Ray, the love of your life—"

"HE IS NOT THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!" Mariah cut him off. It's not because the white tigers know she's in love with Ray doesn't mean she'll admit it

"Really?…" Kevin smirked "…then mind explaining why you go red every time you see him? Mind telling me why you put so much makeup during your battle with him? Mind telling—"

"Hey, what are you two doing? Ray's finally here." Lee announced.

"WHAT?!" Mariah shouted. "H-he can't be here!!! I'm not dressed yet!!! I'm sweating and smelly and I haven't taken a bath yet!!!"

"Calm down. You still have some time. He's having a hard time getting through the traffic anyway" Gary smiled at her.

"Traffic? What are you talking about Gary? Cars scarcely come here and carts hardly cause a commotion" Mariah gave the big man a questioning look.

"Who's talking about cars and carts? We're talking about his fan girls" Lee butted in.

"Fan girls? Ray has fan girls?" Kevin asked as if it was a joke.

"Yes" Lee simply spat "So while his fan girls suffocate him, I suggest you get ready"

Mariah nodded and sped towards the bathroom.

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"OH MY GOD!! RAY, MARRY ME!!!" a girl shouted.

"RAY, YOU'RE AS CUTE AS EVER" another girl exclaimed

"OH MY GOD RAY!!! YOU LOOK SO SEXY IN THAT SLEEVELESS SHIRT OF YOURS"

"Uhh…thanks….thanks….thanks" it's the only word Ray could think of at that moment. The very second he got off the taxi, a crowd (scratch that…a HERD) of females swarmed around him and some of them don't even belong to the village.

Ray thought that crowds like these would be common since he's already a big time celebrity not only because he's a great beyblader but also because of his fair looks. But he never thought that it'd be so GIGANTIC. He already fought his way through the paparazzi and fan girls in the airport. He paid double to the taxi driver when the car got trashed by more fan girls on his way here. And now, this.

"Man, being popular is sooo troublesome" Lee said looking at the black hair in the middle of the mob of girls through a tree branch some 20 meters away from the herd of girls. He leaped to a higher branch to get a better view. There, he saw Ray, hands in front of him, a nervous smile plastered across his face and a sweat drop on his forehead.

Ray suddenly panicked when the crowd suddenly got aggressive as they tried to rip his clothes off him.

"RAY, TAKE YOUR SHIRT OFF, I WANNA GROPE YOU!!"

"RAY, COME WITH ME. I RESERVED US A ROOM ON A MOTEL"

Immediately, the man ran, desperately trying to go through the crowd

"Oh man, what I wouldn't give to be in Ray's shoes right now" Kevin said enviously looking at the poor teenager through a lower branch than Lee's.

After about 30 minutes, Ray managed to get through the herd. His bandana was missing but he knows exactly what happened to it when a girl shouted 'I GOT HIS BANDANA' and the rest started tackling the one who shouted. It served as a good distraction allowing him to sneak out with a messed up hair and shirt but alive and well.

There's no need to look for _her _there. Ray knows her too much. He knows that she is much too civilized to take part on such frivolous activities. And that's one of the reasons he loves her so much. He's the only one who knows the feelings he had for Mariah (except for the white tigers—excluding Mariah). In fact, she's the very reason why he took a break from beyblading—to see her—and if all goes well, confess his feelings to her.

"You know, you could've lent me a hand back there" Ray stopped at a tree and looked up.

Lee smirked and raised an eyebrow. As expected from Ray, senses as sharp as ever. "And miss seeing you being beat up by a bunch of girls no way" with that, the lion faced man jumped down from his spot on the tree.

"Where's Mariah?" the raven-haired boy asked almost disappointingly.

"She's getting dressed. You know girls, they take forever to prepare" Lee crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hello Ray" Gary gave Ray his usual smile.

"Hey, it's been a while" Ray replied

"Hey Ray!!" Kevin exclaimed jumping down from his position.

"Hey Kevin, how've you been?"

"Good. Hey Ray, mind telling me the secret?"

"Secret to what?" Ray gave the boy a confused look.

"You know? How to get a swarm of girls chasing you"

"Oh trust me Kevin, you do _not _want that"

"Excuse me, but I think we should get going before that mob of girls started chasing you again" Lee butted in pointing towards the mob of girls that's currently fighting for Ray's bandana.

"Yeah" Ray gave his agreement. With that, the four made their way to their 'base'

------------------

"Man, this place hasn't changed a bit" Ray looked at their base. It was built by the elders since they were young specifically for the white tigers.

"I'll go get Mariah" Gary said as he went out to do what he said.

Ray nodded and entered the living room. It's a cozy home with three rooms, a living room, kitchen and two bathrooms. The main color of the house is white. Its interior is also white.

The living room is adorned with a sofa adorned with green fabric. One of the rooms is colored pink—For Mariah. The other room was painted Black and white—Ray and Lee. The last room with green—Kevin and Gary. All in all, it is a small house for a small group of friends.

Ray turned around to head back to the garden. What he saw made his heart skip a beat. Standing in the doorway was Mariah wearing the dress he gave her, hair in its usual pony tail. It's a pink strapless dress. It's quite plain really. On the right side of its bottom half, one could see a slit that reveals her legs up to the lower parts of her hips. She wore pink gloves that go up two inches above her elbow.

The raven-haired boy blushed as his eyes trailed down her smooth, creamy legs, up her thighs then higher still to the delicate curves that adorned her body. Gaze moving even higher, the crimson on his face deepened as his eyes landed on her cleavage. Moving higher, he came eye to eye with Mariah who was also red faced. How he loved her pink silky hair and round golden eyes.

At the same time Ray was checking Mariah out, Mariah's own eyes started to drift down his physique. She blushed as naughty thoughts came crawling in her mind.

'_So much has changed'_ Mariah thought as her eyes wandered down his developing bicep muscles. The messed up shirt that clung to his body gave Mariah a mental image of the juicy stuff that's beneath it. Her gaze moved upwards to meet him eye to eye. She realized that like her, he is also blushing. How she loved his fair looks and his piercing golden eyes that would put any jewelry to shame. His shiny black hair only added to his handsome features.

He smiled at her "Hey Mariah"

She smiled back "Hey Ray. Welcome back"

To be continued 

So? What do you guys think? Good? Or bad? I know there isn't much RayMariah here but I promise , there'd be more in the next chapter!!!

Please review


	2. Chapter 2: Reminiscing & Dirty Thoughts

**Disclaimer: **I do not own beyblade nor do I own any of its characters

I am **_TERRIBLY SORRY _**for the long update. I hope this chapter is enough to make it up to you guys. Enjoy!!!

**Chapter 2: Reminiscing and Dirty thoughts**

"Hey Mariah" Ray smiled at her

"Hey Ray, Welcome back" Mariah smiled back. "It's been a while"

"You said it…I see you're wearing the dress I gave you" Ray approached the pink figure in the doorway.

"Wearing it? You should have seen her when she got it and learned it was from you…" Kevin put his hands behind his head "She was—oof!" Kevin was cut off as Mariah slapped his crotch…_**HARD!**_ The green haired boy crouched down, never letting go of his aching manhood. "Never mind" he managed to say with much difficulty.

Ray simply chuckled at this. They've grown but they're still the same old White tigers. Gary would stand aside either eating some food or thinking about it. Lee or him would talk to Mariah and Kevin would come up with some smart ass comments that would insult Mariah in which she'll respond by hitting him at a certain body part.

"What's so funny?" Mariah questioned Ray.

"Nothing…" he replied "…Just pondering on how little has changed"

"Oh, little has changed alright…" Lee butted in the conversation "come on, let's all go to the living room and have ourselves a nice cup of tea" the others nodded in agreement.

"Mmmm, Ray, I don't know how you do it but you make the best teas around" Lee gave a satisfied smile as he took another sip of Ray's special tea. Among all five of them, Ray is the only one capable of cooking. Mariah knows a little, Lee…well….let's just say the man can't be allowed to stay within 2 meters in the oven. Ray recalled an instance when he tried to teach Lee to cook.

Flashback

"Okay Lee, remember, the first rule of cooking stir fried vegetables is that they are best cooked at high temperatures" Ray explained to Lee as he dumped some vegetables onto a bowl on top of the stove.

"You don't have to explain it to me like I'm a kid Ray" Lee retorted nearing the stove.

"You are when it comes to cooking"

Lee simply tch-ed at that.

"Okay, we need more vegetables. I'm just gonna get some in the backyard, keep stirring it. After a few seconds, you may put the seasoning" with that, Ray went to the backyard which is quite far.

Not even halfway there and Ray heard a huge bang coming from the house. Immediately, he ran back. When he got there, the whole stove was on fire…no…wait….the whole KITCHEN is on fire.

"WHAT DID YOU DO??!!!" Ray shouted at the lion-faced man who just got out of the house choking.

"I'm fine, thank you…" Lee spat sarcastically obviously talking about Ray caring more about what happened than whether he was alright or not"…and besides, it's all your fault"

"MY fault?"

"Yeah, you told me that stir fried vegetables are best cooked under intense heat"

"Yeah, they are"

"So, I did just that. I poured gas over the stove to make the fire bigger" Lee said triumphantly as if saying that it was the best thing one could do.

"YOU DON'T POUR GAS OVER A HOT STOVE OPERATED BY GAS!!!" Ray practically screamed at the man's ear.

"You don't?" was all Lee could say.

End of Flashback

Ray still shuddered at the memory. And then there's Gary. Ray tried to teach the man how to cook but the big guy just has no control over his hands. Ray recalled the instance where he tried to teach the burly man how to bake cookies. The guy practically held the red hot iron tray of the oven with bare hands because 'it smelled so good I can't wait'. They poured cold water in his hands for nearly two days.

Kevin, well, the kid had no interest in cooking. As long as he ate, Kevin is contented.

And then there's Mariah. Ray stole a glance at the pink haired girl who's currently sipping the tea contentedly. A smile made its way towards his lips. She wasn't one of the best students he had but she was very eager to learn.

Flashback

"Okay Mariah, now their ready" Ray said to the excited female neko-jin beside him.

"Yay!!" she jumped enthusiastically. She grabbed some mittens and took the cake out of the oven. It was good and golden in color.

"Now, you can add the icing" Ray instructed.

"Alright" she exclaimed as she grabbed the bowl that contained the sweet liquid and started pouring it over the cake. Then, she started adding some chocolate chunks. She had a lot of fun doing it.

Come dinner time and the time to taste Mariah's cake……..the moment his tongue touched the pastry…………………………….He turned blue!!!!

The others turned blue as well. All but Mariah who turned red. "I'm sorry" she said shyly. "Guess I'm not so good with cooking after all"

"Nonsense…" Ray gave her a shaky smile. His whole body is trembling just from the aftertaste "…this cake is very tasty for a first Mariah" he managed to say trying desperately to ignore the mushy, somewhat slimy texture of the cake. The super-sweet icing did nothing to compliment the bitter taste of the loaf.

"Really?" she beamed.

He gave a shaky nod.

"Then you'll teach me again?" Mariah went up to him and gave him puppy dog eyes.

Ray was about to say no. There's no way he'll taste this thing over and over again but he simply can't resist those eyes….no…scratch that…not only can't he resist her eyes, he can't resist her as a whole. So….he nodded.

It was a good twelve tries and 6 trips to the hospital before Mariah had the thing going on.

End of Flashback

The raven-haired boy smiled at the memory. He stole a glance at her again. He really wasn't paying much attention to what Lee is saying. Instead, his eyes roamed once more on Mariah's figure.

'_So beautiful'_ he thought as he scanned her delicate curves, creamy skin and the round breasts that the dress is carving. Naughty thoughts crawled into his mind and he quickly tried to shake it off. _'Damn, what's wrong with me?'_

"Hey, we're all out of firewood" Gary's voice snapped him out of his trance.

"Really?" Lee gave an exasperated sigh "…fine, I'm gonna go chop some" with that the lion faced man stood up.

"Wait Lee, I'll help you" Ray stood up. Chopping firewood would clear his mind.

"You sure? You're a guest you know" Lee said.

"Hey, I'm a white tiger too you know. Besides, I haven't had a workout in ages" Ray replied.

Mariah chuckled at that. _'Not with those biceps'_ she thought as her eyes fell upon Ray's naked arms exposed by the sleeveless Chinese shirt.

Lee nodded then smirked. "Bet you can't beat me in firewood chopping"

"We'll just see about that" with that, the two rushed to the backyard to chop wood.

Both Lee and Ray grunted as they chopped wood at full speed. Ray is in the lead _'As usual'_ Mariah thought as she recalled a time when they were kids.

Flashback

"Hah!! I beat you again!" a ten year old Ray said triumphantly to Lee.

"Ray, you beat Lee in practically anything" a 7 year old Mariah came up to them.

"Not everything, Mariah" Lee retorted.

"I wanna learn how to chop too" she said ignoring Lee's retort.

"Are you sure?" Ray asked concernedly. She nodded enthusiastically. So, Ray gave her the axe…..she fell immediately. Who would've thought those things were so heavy! How Lee and Ray manage to chop more than 35 fire woods in 25 minutes is a mystery to her.

"Careful!" both Lee and Ray exclaimed.

End of Flashback

She looked at the two men displaying their awesome physical strength. Each trying to out muscle the other. Gary and Kevin were also chopping since they thought it'd be fun to compete with each other, other than beyblading of course. She sighed as she looked at the piles of fire woods. Kevin got 6. Lee so far has 67. Ray has 72 while Gary has a whooping 89 fire woods—but that's understandable. After an hour and a half of chopping, Gary was proclaimed winner followed by Ray.

Ray laid on his back as he gave a huge sigh of relief. Lee and the others did the same except for Mariah.

"Hey guys, you must be thirsty" Mariah came up with a tray full of juice. "As reward, I brought you all—" she stopped dead in her tracks at what she saw.

There he is, Ray Kon, lying on his back. His shirt wide open revealing his sweaty form. She gulped loudly as some mischievous thoughts crawled in her mind. Her eyes trailed down his form. It's very hard to ignore his toned and muscular chest and perfectly sculpted abs. and the sweat only made the muscles seem more firm.

Although Ray wears sleeveless shirts, Mariah knew better. He's a rather conservative guy and hated being naked in public so she has rarely seen him without clothes. Maybe that's why he appears sexier than Lee and Gary—because his body is such a rare sight.

"Huh? Oh, thanks Mariah" Ray sat up and took a glass of juice and gulped it down.

"I'm hungry" Gary said in his usual dumb tone

"Yeah, me too…" Kevin agreed "…come on guys, let's eat. It's almost lunch time anyway"

The others nodded and headed for the kitchen.

to be continued

As a token of my appreciation for you reading my second chapter and to express my deepest apologies, I will upload the third chapter a LOT sooner than this. IF I get enough reviews

To all my anonymous readers (if there are any), I am sorry if your attempt to submitt a review was rejected. Apparently, I forgot to disable the system for blocking anonymous rebiew. However, the problem has been resolved and you may freely submitt your reviews to me!!!

Please review


	3. Chapter 3:Bad day at the market place

**Disclaimer: **I do not own beyblade nor do I own any of its characters.

This is the third chapter. Enjoy!!!

**Chapter 3: Bad Day at the market Place**

The white tigers sat at the table in the kitchen of their base.

"So, how's the Blade Breakers?" Mariah asked Ray in an attempt to make a conversation.

"Their doing fine. That is, if you exclude Kai's bossy attitude" Ray replied crossing his arms over his chest. Mariah chuckled at this.

"Uhh, guys, hate to interrupt but we're all out of food" Lee popped out from the dirty kitchen.

"What?!" Kevin exclaimed "Gary, you ate all of our food didn't you?" he pointed an accusing finger at the man.

"Calm down, let's just buy some food" Mariah butted in "It's about time we restock anyway" the others nodded in agreement.

Mariah stood up to head for the market when Ray spoke up. "Mariah, I'll go with you"

"Are you sure?" Mariah asked. Although deep down inside her, she wish Ray would say yes because she wanted to spend some time with him alone.

"Yeah. You'll need help with the groceries anyway" Ray lied. The only reason why he'll be going with her is so that he could spend some quality time with her alone. She is, after all, the reason why he came back to china in the first place.

Mariah nodded enthusiastically and went to get changed. It'll be awkward, after all, if she went to a market place wearing a cocktail dress. After getting her purse and bidding goodbye to the rest of the troop, the couple went to the market.

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The market place is very busy today. There are a lot of people because of a 50 off in all shops. As a result, both Ray and Mariah had to really keep their senses sharp so that they don't loose each other.

"Ray?" Mariah started as she looked through some vegetables. It's been tradition of the white tigers for them to do the groceries to not bother the elders. After all, they get quite a lot of money from the ABA (Asian Beyblade Association) especially when championship tournaments are held.

"Hmmm?" Ray replied

"Why'd you return?" Mariah asked looking at him.

Ray was silent at first and for a second, Mariah thought she offended him. But then he spoke "I missed you guys" _'Especially you' _Ray added mentally.

"Is that it?" Mariah asked, disappointment laced in her voice. She went to the counter and paid for the goods.

Ray detected the slight disappointment in her voice. _'Damn!!' Smooth move Ray, smooth move' _Ray mentally slapped himself as he followed Mariah out the store.

"Well? I'm waiting" Mariah said impatiently as she continued to walk to another store.

"Well, that's one of the reasons. But there's more behind it" Ray said almost teasingly as he struggled to keep up with Mariah's fast pace. After all, Mariah is slimmer than he is so she can squeeze into practically any crevice. He's built with broad shoulders and lean muscles, not really designed for squeezing. More like combat.

No response was heard from Mariah. But that's because he can't _see _her.

"Mariah?" Ray asked. No response.

"Mariah?!" He tried again. Still no response. _'Shit!' _he mentally cursed.

"Mariah" when he got no response, the man panicked. "MARIAH!! MARIAH!! MARIAH!!" No response.

-------------------

"Ray, I don't have all day, is that the only rea—" she turned around only to find that Ray wasn't there.

"Oh my god, Ray?" she asked. No response. _'Oh shit! We've been separated!' _she, mentally cursed as she started to look for him.

"RAY!! RAY!! RAY!!" she got no response and found no Ray. To make matters worse, the saleslady of the store a few feet behind her yelled: "EIGHTY PERCENT OFF!!! ALL PRODUCTS!!! I REPEAT, EIGHTY PERCENT OFF!!! ALL PRODUCTS!!!"

In a split second, a herd of shoppers made their way towards her. Panicked, the pink haired girl ran for dear life. She turned to a small, dark alley beside an abandoned warehouse to evade the running shoppers. Bad idea.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" a malicious voice said, stepping out of the dark warehouse. The man seems to be in his mid-30's. He has a narrow face and a brush up hair. He wore a malicious smile and has a cigarette on the side of his mouth. Four other shadows emerged behind him. What made Mariah frightened was the man's muscular stature.

"Looks like we got a lost kitten boss" a fat man with shaved head said.

"Looks more like food" a skinny man said with spiky head.

"Food? We got ourselves a chick" another one said. More muscular and has a crew cut hair.

"A lovely chick at that" another one said. This one is tall, lanky and bald.

Mariah just stood there rooted on her spot by fear as she watched the men close in on her. _'Ray, please…help me'_

_-------------------_

"MARIAH!!! MARIAH!!! MARIAH!!! MARIAH!!!" Ray shouted over and over again as he ran through the streets of the market place. For some reason, the crowd got thinner. Ray saw the reason shortly afterwards when he saw a huge mob of marketers surrounding a store with a sign "80 off on all products"

The raven-haired boy immediately made his way towards it.

"Ugh!" Mariah grunted as she was pushed down the dirty floor of the ware house. She looked up at her attackers.

Five men. Five big men. She definitely doesn't stand a chance. To make matters worse, the warehouse they were in was several meters away from the market place so no one can hear her scream.

"Well, let's get down to business shall we" the boss said as he commanded two of his men to undress her. The fat one and the muscular one came at her. She tried to make a run for it but the lanky member caught her arm.

"Ugh! Let me go!!! Let me go!!!" she struggled against his grip but to no avail.

"Oooooh…feisty aren't we?" the boss mockingly said as he grabbed the sides of her jaw. The other three tied her hands by the post behind her. The leader was about to kiss her when a voice interrupted him.

"Let her go, NOW!!!"

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He squeezed through the crowds. He went here and there but still, no sign of his beloved. After a few minutes, Ray went out of the crowd for some air. It was then that he noticed the abandoned warehouse some distance away. It won't usually get his attention but something tugged at his mind to look inside.

He gulped as his mind imagined the worst. Immediately, the neko-jin ran at top speed towards the warehouse. When he got there, his eyes widened. There she was, being bullied by five big men. His blood boiled in absolute rage.

"Let her go, NOW!!!" he shouted getting the attention of the five men.

Mariah couldn't be any happier her entire life at seeing him. There he is, standing in the doorway—Ray, the one she fell in love with. A mixture of relief and worry flooded her system. Relief of being rescued. Worry of him being hurt because of her carelessness.

"Ehhh, who're you?" The boss turned to him.

"That doesn't matter. Let her go or else" Ray spat at the leader.

"Or else what?" the lanky man let go of Mariah and walked towards the younger man.

"Or else you'll regret ever touching her, you hoodlums" Ray countered, clenching his fists tightly.

"Why you" the lanky charged for an attack. Ray leaped into the air and evaded it, kicking the man at the back in the process. After all, he did not spend his childhood leaping from bamboo to bamboo just for the fun of it. Ray is a great martial artist.

"GET HIM BOYS!!!" the leader yelled. The other three charged at the teenager. Ray simply jumped repeatedly, evading their attacks and countering it at the same time.

"Bastard" The leader charged at him. Ray leaped into the air again but his leg was caught and he was forced downwards, his back hitting the ground with tremendous force. Having the wind knocked out of his opponent, the boss took out a knife and seized the opportunity. "You won't use your legs again boy" with that, he repeatedly stabbed the boy's right leg with the knife.

Screams of pure pain escaped Ray's lips as the knife repeatedly pierced through his skin and flesh. One strike hit his knee and he was able to gather enough strength to pry his leg off of the man's grip. He brought his injured knee to his chest, clutching it with both hands in an attempt to relieve the pain. His teeth clenched and eyes shut tightly as unbearable soreness shot through his entire left leg.

The gang took this opportunity to harass the boy. The fat member put Ray in to an arm lock forcing him to stand. The others closed up on the now helpless teenager. They took some metal pipes that'll be used to beat the boy into a bloody pulp.

Ray tried to struggle but the loss of too much blood is already taking its toll on him. He felt dizzy and his head throbbed. _'Shit! I have to do something or else they'll hurt Mariah!!' _he thought. He didn't really care much about his own health. What he cared about was Mariah's.

The leader smirked, took out his knife and started cutting the boy's shirt until he is completely naked at the top and the pieces of what was once a shirt, now hung loosely by his belt. The boss then gave the signal and the rest of the members started their assault.

Mariah could only stand there in horror as she watched her beloved childhood friend being beat up into a bloody pulp. She could only listen to his shouts of pain and agony as well as the resounding resonance of breaking ribs. She could only watch as the metal pipes continuously hit him on the chest, abdomen, arms, forearms, legs, hips. One hit collided with his head. It opened a wound and blood gushed out of his forehead. She can't take it anymore. All the sufferings he's experiencing, because of her carelessness.

"STOP!!! STOP IT PLEASE!!! YOU'RE HURTING HIM" she struggled to break free of her restraints but to no avail. She watched in horror as her plead was ignored. Warm tears streamed down her cheeks like waterfalls.

He could see her, crying. _'Damnit!' _he mentally cursed. He has to get out of here. _They _have to get out of here. If not they, then at least Mariah. He clenched his teeth for one last struggle.

Using the remainder of his strength, Ray kicked the lanky one's crotch HARD. As a result, the man brought his hands down forgetting that he still holds the metal pipe. The weapon of the lanky man accidentally hit the stomach of the muscular one taking the air out of him.

Ray then used his elbow to hit the fat one's face. One, two, three, four, five, the fat one lost his grip on Ray's arms. The boy took this as an opportunity to escape the cage the men created. Using his right leg, he leaped into the air, barely going above the attackers. He took a pipe himself and hit the skinny man's head hard. It took the consciousness out of him.

'_One down, four to go' _Ray thought as he went for the leader. The leader swung his knife hard. Ray evaded it and hit his opponent's legs sending the bigger man down on the floor. He then took the man's knife and stabbed it through its master's leg securing him on the floor.

The leader screamed in pain. The fat guy recovered from Ray's previous attack and charged. Ray charged as well. The fat guy swung at him. He ducked and hit overweighed man's stomach with the metal pipe. It took the wind out of the guy. The boy took this chance and hit the man's neck knocking him out. The Chubby guy fell on top of his boss.

'_Three down, two to go' _Ray looked at the two who're still clutching their aching body parts.

Mariah stared in awe as Ray took out the first three and now the fourth one—the lanky guy. A few evasive maneuvers, a hit on the head and the leggy man fell unconscious. _'One more to go' _she thought. But there's a problem. Mariah could see that Ray's injuries are taking its toll on him. His movements started to become sluggish making him an easy target for the muscular individual.

Ray's vision started to sway and he can only watch as the muscular member of the hoodlums group make a punching bag out of him. He tried to evade punch after punch but ends up getting hit anyway. A punch on his cheek and he went down.

The muscular man towered over Ray's fallen form, a sadistic smile plastered on his face. He watched as the battered boy breathed heavily. "Still conscious 'ey? We can fix that" with that, he seized Ray's hair and started banging his victim's head on the concrete column of the warehouse.

Mariah stared in horror as Ray's head was continuously banged on the concrete post leaving traces of blood on the column. The man stopped and looked at her. He smiled then threw Ray to her direction.

The seemingly lifeless body of the beaten boy landed a few feet from Mariah. "Ray? Ray!!! _**RAY!!!!!!"**_ she yelled but she got no response from the figure. _'Oh god!!! Please don't let him die, not this way!'_ Mariah thought.

The man walked towards them and took Ray's head. He raised it in front of the pink-haired girl's face so she could see his bloody face.

Her eyes widened at the sight of his bloody face. His half lidded eyes concealed part of his golden orbs. His mouth was slightly open.

"Oh my god!!! Ray please speak to me" Mariah cried as fresh new tears streamed down her face "RAY PLEASE TALK!!! PLEASE TELL ME YOU'RE ALRIGHT!!!" she begged but only got a couple of groans from the boy.

Ray looked at her. She was crying. He has to do something. Groaning, the raven-haired boy elbowed his opponent's stomach. Caught off guard, the burly man lost his grip. Ray used this opening to hit the man on the head with one of the metal pipes that lay on the floor.

The man was fazed but did not fall. With another charge, Ray hit him again and again and again until the man finally fell unconscious. The beat up boy fell on his knees as he breathed heavily trying to catch his breath.

"Ray?!" Mariah exclaimed. Ray turned towards her then smiled giving her a thumbs-up. Her smile couldn't be bigger.

After a few seconds of resting, Ray made his way to Mariah a freed her from the ropes.

"Ray, are you alright?" It was a stupid question but Mariah doesn't know what to say. Relief and worry are mixing inside her. The boy simply nodded then, using the last ounce of strength he had, he lifted the pink-haired girl off the ground, bridal style.

Ray leaned on a column to catch his breath then made his way outside.

"Ray, I really, don't think you should be walking much less carrying me" Mariah told him concernedly taking note of his shallow breathing and unsteady pace. She's worried about him. She's guilty because of what happened. She wants to repay him. But how?

"No way, Mariah….Y-You…you twisted your ankle" Ray said between heavy breaths. There was no anger in his voice. Only concern and something Mariah couldn't identify. What was it? Was it love?

Stopping at the doorway, the battered boy crouched down and took the grocery bags he laid there a few moments ago then resumed to walking back to the white tigers base. It was already dark and there were very few people on the streets.

Mariah looked up at her rescuer and her love. His face was covered totally with blood. She looked at his chest. It was also bloody and the skin is darkening due to the beat up muscles. And it's all her fault. Her carelessness made him this way. The thought made her break and without warning, she started to sob intensely on his bare chest.

Ray stopped in his tracks as he heard Mariah cry. "Mariah? Why are you crying? Does your ankle hurt?" he asked concernedly.

She shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Ray. This is my entire fault. My carelessness made you this way. I-I don't know how to repay you. B-but I will. I promise. I—" she was cut off by Ray's lips on hers.

She was stunned for a few moments, then, she closed her eyes and savored the sensation the kiss brought.

"You don't have to do anything for me Mariah" Ray said as soon as they broke the kiss. "Your safety is reward enough for me" he smiled at her. A gentle smile…a smile only for her.

She blushed at this then lowered her head and nodded.

"Now let's go home" Ray said enthusiastically. She nodded, with a smile.

To be continued

To tell you guys honestly, this chapter was really meant to be chapter 2. But, some ideas crawled into my mind urging me to write another chapter. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter because I spent a lot of time doing it.

Please review!!!!


	4. Chapter 4:Rest

**Disclaimer: **I do not own beyblade nor do I own any of its characters

Here is chapter 4. Enjoy!!!

**Chapter 4: Rest**

"Where have you two—" Lee's question was cut off by the sight he saw at the doorway—Mariah being carried by a _bloody _Ray bridal style. "WHAT HAPPENED??!!!!" it was more of a demanding statement than a question. No one blamed Lee as both Kevin and Gary's eyes widened at Ray's condition.

There he was, leaning by the doorframe. Mariah in his arms. His bangs and blood concealed his eyes from view. He was breathing heavily and the blood coming from his entire body is staining his baggage's clothes.

Mariah didn't care about her bloodstained clothes and focused her attention to the man carrying her—Ray. His condition has gone from bad to worse since he kissed her.

"Lee, we'll talk about it later. Right now we have to get a doctor for Ray" Mariah turned to the lion faced man with concerned eyes.

Lee nodded and approached them. He took Mariah from Ray's arm and helped her stand on the floor.

"Thanks" Ray managed to mumble as he showed one of his eyes and gave them a smile. He then collapsed.

"OH MY GOD RAY!!!! RAY!!! _**RAAAAAAAAY!!!"**_ Mariah screamed as she rushed to the side of the now unconscious figure of the raven-haired boy.

--------------------

"He's acquired a lot of injuries. Namely: Four broken ribs, fifteen lacerations on the left leg, 43 bruises acquired through blunt objects and a serious head concussion. He's lucky to be alive. No, it was a miracle he's alive" the doctor told the white tigers as he finished taking Ray's pulse for a last check up.

"Thank you so much" Lee gave his thanks to the kind practitioner. They called the man right after Ray collapsed and he arrived five minutes later. Lee looked at Mariah concernedly and sighed.

She sat beside Ray, hands curled into small fists by her hips and head lowered so her bangs would conceal her eyes. Mariah's been crying non-stop ever since Ray collapsed. She actually panicked and five minutes felt like five decades to her. She didn't know what to do. She just called his name over and over again in a desperate attempt to wake him up.

"Let him rest" the doctor snapped the pink-haired girl out of her trance.

"How long?" she asked almost pleading. The others nearly jumped out of their skins at her sudden question. She hadn't said _anything_ for nearly an hour.

"3 to 4 days. Even if he wakes up early, I suggest you make him rest for at least a week just to be sure" the doctor replied giving them a warm smile.

"Thank you" Mariah whispered in an almost trance-like state.

The doctor nodded and headed out.

"So…mind telling us what happened?" Kevin neared Mariah. The girl nodded.

"We got separated in the market place. As you know, there are lots of people today because of the three day sale. I tried to evade the shoppers by making a detour at an alley. Unfortunately, it was inhabited by hoodlums. They were about to rape me. That was when Ray appeared…" she could feel her eyes well up again as she recalled the painful memory of what happened "…he….he tried to rescue me. It was…" she gulped and wiped away the tears that fell down her cheeks "…it was five against one. He stood no chance and they beat him up…" she looked up to Gary and Lee "…THEY BEAT HIM UP MERCILESSLY AND ALL I DID WAS SCREAM DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT WAS MY ENTIRE FAULT!!!"

Lee nodded at her explanation.

"How did you guys get back here?" Gary asked

Mariah lowered her head "somehow, Ray managed to make a comeback and he was able to beat all five of them"

"As expected" Lee murmured "Anyway, someone should stay with him tonight to make sure he doesn't sleep violently and open one of his wound up"

"I will" Mariah hurriedly stated.

"Are you sure?" Kevin asked concernedly

"Yeah, he's right, Mariah. You must be tired after the incident. Its best that you rest" Gary gave his support to Kevin's proposal and Lee nodded in agreement.

"But—"

"No buts" Lee cut her off "do you think Ray would be happy if he sees you over exerting yourself?"

Mariah lowered her head and her eyes became misty again.

"Don't worry…I'll look after him" Gary said. The pink haired girl nodded and reluctantly left the room but not before giving her hero a kiss on the lips.

"Goodnight Ray" she whispered then headed back to her room accompanied by Lee and Kevin. Gary was left behind to look after his subordinate.

-------------------

She can't sleep. She can't sleep at all. The memories of what happened yesterday kept replaying in her mind. The neko-jin tossed and turned in her sleep in an attempt to get into a comfortable position. But nothing seems to work. She flipped her pillow to its other side and plopped back face down. It did little to relieve her trouble-filled mind.

Finally, she gave up and headed for the kitchen. Perhaps a glass of water would help relieve her stress. Standing up, she made her way to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. She was heading back to her room when she came across Ray's. The door was open so she decided to take a peek to see if he's alright.

"Don't worry, he's fine" Mariah stiffened at Gary's voice. He was sitting beside Ray, back turned towards her.

"Just checking" she mumbled

"Why are you still up?" Gary inquired turning to look at the girl.

"I-I was worried"

"About Ray?"

She nodded. "I can't take the image of his bloody form off my mind" an image of Ray's bloody face flashed through her mind.

"You think you'd be able to sleep if I give you some time to talk to Ray?"

Mariah looked up at the older man. He was giving her his usual dumb smile. She nodded enthusiastically.

Gary got off the chair and went outside to give Mariah and the unconscious figure some privacy.

"Hi Ray" as expected, she got no response from him. "It's me, Mariah. Listen, I'm really sorry about what happened to you. I want you to know that I'll do anything to repay you. I know that whatever I do, it won't be enough to repay your deed unless I save you from a mob of your fan girls" she chuckled at that thought.

Who was she kidding; she never did save Ray from anything. When they were kids, Ray fended off both his and her offenders. She'd back away until she hit a tree as the bullies close in on her until Ray shows up and defend her. The other kids knew better than to mess with Ray Kon in their village. He was a great fighter and during his early teenage years, no one, not even his elders, could touch him.

Up until now, she doubts if anyone could compete against him in martial arts. He demonstrated earlier today his skills as a fighter.

During beyblade tournaments, he always trash talks anyone who dare insult Mariah's beybading skills. If the offenders insist on insulting Mariah, they'd end up walking home with a black eye (and that's the least that could happen).

She smiled bitterly as she recalled one instance where Ray got disqualified in a tournament because of his overprotective nature. She still remembers it like it was yesterday.

Flashback

It's the Asian tournament and the white tigers are the newcomers. It's the semifinals and their making last minute preparations until a guy from the opposing team approached them.

"Hey, girl, nice rack!" he exclaimed out of nowhere. Lee, Gary and Kevin got mad but Ray got furious.

"Hey!!! Don't you dare make those smart ass comments" he spat at the pervert.

"Huh? Who're you? And what do you care about the comments I make with sexy, yummy ladies" the guy retorted.

"You'd better take that back or else" Ray threatened as his pupils turned into that trademark cat eye.

"Or else what?" the man replied getting into a fighting position. "Come on, let's see what you got"

Ray simply glared at him as he charged….

Two seconds later and the pervert were sent away in a stretcher with a diagnosis of three broken ribs, a broken right arm and a twisted left ankle. Ray's disqualification was announced afterwards. He just shrugged it off.

End of flashback

She chuckled at the memory. Ray is very protective of his friends.

"Ray, do you remember the time you got disqualified because you injured a competitor because he trashed mouthed me? That was hilarious wasn't it?"

The body responded by doing nothing. The pink haired girl smiled as tears trickled down her cheeks. She leaned in and tucked a stray hair behind his ear. _'He looks so peaceful'_ she thought as she gazed upon his closed eyelids and slightly opened lips.

Ray looked like he's just sleeping. Only the bandage in his forehead would give away the gruesome history of his sleep.

After tucking the stray hair behind his ear, Mariah moved to his lips where she put a feather light kiss. "Goodnight Ray….I love you" she whispered then headed back to her room.

Gary smiled as he looked at Mariah's figure retreating to her room. Then, he went back to Ray's to resume his guard duties.

-------------------

Mariah snuggled close to her pillow, a contented smile plastered on her face. She then drifted off to peaceful sleep.

She had the best dream she had ever since Ray's departure .

To be continued

Hope you guys liked chapter four. Last chapter would be coming shortly

Please review!!!


	5. Chapter 5:Awakenings and Confessions

**Disclaimer:** I do not own beyblade nor do I own any of its characters

Here is chapter 5 and the last chapter. Enjoy!!!

**Chapter 5: Awakenings and Confessions**

"He still hasn't woken up?" Kevin asked Mariah concernedly.

It has been two days since the incident and yet Ray still refused to wake up. After Gary's guard duties, Mariah eagerly volunteered to do the guard duties. Lee agreed and now that her turn is over, it's Kevin's turn. This is a disadvantage for Mariah because tonight would be the grand ball.

The village holds the grand ball every five years and all girls look forward to going there with their loved ones. It is said that when a couple confesses to each other in the grand ball, they will be together longer than the average couple. And I think you can guess that Mariah is more than ecstatic to come with Ray.

"Hey, you guys better get ready for the ball. It starts in less than 2 hours and it's a 15 minute walk from here to the ball site" Lee entered the room wearing a black coat with a blue long sleeves inside whose two buttons are open.

"I'm not going…" Mariah simply stated "…I'll stay here and watch over Ray. Kevin can take my place"

"No way Mariah…" Lee retorted "…You'll go to the ball and have fun"

"I won't have fun if Ray's not there"

"Some of our friends are going. Besides, you're the M.C. You can't just not come"

"Then they'll have to hire another M.C. 'cause I'm not going to M.C."

"They can't. The first M.C., Amelia, already quit"

"Mariah…" Kevin entered the conversation "…Go to the ball. I'll watch over Ray. I think you going to the ball is what he would want too"

"But…" Mariah looked at Ray then hesitantly nodded.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. Kevin, make sure you don't take you're eyes off Ray okay?" Lee instructed.

"Don't worry, nothing gets past me" Kevin arrogantly said as he took a seat beside Ray's form.

-------------------

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to the grand ball" Mariah cheerfully announced as soon as she stepped behind the podium. She's wearing another dress that Ray gave her.

It's a sparkly, cream colored, strapless gown with matching cream gloves that go a few inches above her elbow. Its bottom half is like a cream version of the oink cocktail dress. Only the large, waist cloth that is stitched to the waist of the dress makes a difference. And that difference is enough to earn Mariah the looks of most single men in the party.

"Tonight, we'll have some of the dances that had been gathered around the world starting with the cha-cha" With that, the cha-cha dancers entered the dance floor and performed the dance. Mariah looked through the crowds. She saw Lee, chatting with his childhood crush, Christina. She saw Gary, wearing the typical black coat and maroon, open long sleeves inside, Munching on the food.

Mariah sighed. So much for having fun.

--------------------

"Man, they really got you Ray" Kevin said as he looked at the sleeping beauty. Kevin is wearing the typical black coat with open, green, long sleeves shirt inside.

Just then, he heard some groaning sounds from the figure he's guarding. Kevin looked at the sleeping neko-jin and his eyes widened when the said man opened his golden orbs.

---------------------

"May I have this dance?" a man walked up to Mariah and offered his hand to hers. Mariah smiled apologetically at him

"I'm sorry, I can't. I'm a little tired" Mariah said.

"Young ladies such as yourselves shouldn't waste their beauty over a stupid incident in the market place" the man smiled still not taking his hand back.

Mariah isn't entirely shocked about the man's knowledge of the incident. The whole town knows about the incident. After all, Ray took out some of the most wanted gangs in the whole village.

"Don't call it stupid…" Mariah hissed "…my friend risked his life for me"

"Ma'am, come on, we both know taking those thugs out all by yourself is the most idiotic things one would do"

Mariah was about to retort but decided against it. This is one of those stubborn men who won't take no for an answer. Usually, when guys like this come near her, Ray immediately comes to the rescue. But now, she has to deal with this on her own. So, she stood up in an attempt to go to the bathroom until the man's hand grabbed her arm.

"What?!" Mariah practically shouted. Everyone in the ballroom turned to look at them.

"Nothing to see here folks. Just a minor case of a stubborn girl" the man shouted causing the others to nod and return to their dances.

"Let go of me" Mariah threatened.

"Not unless you go on a dance with me cupcake" the man smirked.

"I said I don't want to go on a dance with you because this body of mine is a NO CREEP ZONE" Mariah shouted. Good thing this time, nobody stopped to look a t them.

The man stared in shock and anger at the pink-haired neko-jin. _'Creep? Me?'_ wide eyes turned to a glare.

"Little missy…" the man neared Mariah and took one of her hands as well. Mariah struggled to break free but to no avail "…I'll have you know that I am one of the most wanted bachelors in—"

"Get your hands off her you freak!!!" a very familiar and nostalgic voice called from behind and cut the man off.

Both Mariah and the man turned towards the voice.

She felt her heart skip a beat…two beats exactly, at what she saw. _'Ray!'_ she thought happily as the man of her dreams approached them, eyes fixed into that trademark cat glare.

He's wearing the tuxedo she gave him. White coat, and light blue, open long sleeves inside. He looks very handsome and the coat really compliments his broad shoulders. The good thing about him is that he is the only male to wear the white coat in the party. Everyone else wore black or grey.

Mariah smiled as she saw the horror on the man's eyes when he saw Ray coming. He was obviously frightened.

"Well, are you going to let her go or do I have to rip your arms off" Ray threatened and it was no empty threat too. Ray is strong enough break bones with his bare hands.

The man simply hmph-ed and left, sweating like crazy. Ray looked at the retreating figure of the man then turned to wards Mariah.

He caught his breath when he finally got a good look at her. That gown fits her well, accentuating her delicate curves and smooth skin. No wonder the man was so eager to get her.

Mariah just stood there, facing Ray. _'Is this a dream?'_ she thought. If it is, then she wouldn't want to wake up. Cautiously, she reached out to touch his cheek. It was warm, and real. This IS Ray and he's finally awake!!!

"Ray!" her tears of pure bliss fell down her cheeks as she launched herself towards him and wrapped her arms around his torso.

Ray smiled as he returned the embrace with matching intensity. "Did you miss me?"

Mariah nodded continuously. "I missed you a lot"

"Would a dance be enough to make it up to you?" He asked, hoping she'll agree.

She agreed without a second thought. And so, they went to the dance floor and started to slow dance. His hands moved around her waist slim waist while she put her hands on his lean chest.

"Wait, what about Kevin?" Mariah looked up at her friend.

"You looking for me?" Kevin popped out of nowhere. "You should've seen Ray when he learned about you going to the ball alone"

"Kevin!" Ray said, blushing intensely. The incident is not the greatest thing one should reveal to their loved ones.

"Oh come on, your actions were priceless" Kevin smiled mischievously.

"Tell me, tell me" Mariah said without breaking their dance position.

"Okay, so he woke up"

Flashback

"Ray, you're awake" Kevin exclaimed.

"Kevin?" Ray groaned "where am I? What happened?"

"Dude, you took out five thugs to rescue Mariah and you collapsed when you carried her here" Kevin replied.

"Mariah?" Ray asked giving a moment to ponder on what happened, and then it hit him. The events of two days ago. "MARIAH!!!" he immediately stood up on the bed completely forgetting that it's a double Decker causing him to bump his head HARD against one of the steel beams.

The sound of head colliding with steel echoed through the room as Ray fell face first on the concrete floor with swirly eyes.

"Dude, you okay?" Kevin crouched down to look at the man. Ray got up, rather clumsily.

"MARIAH!!! WHERE IS SHE? IS SHE OKAY?" Ray panicked as he took note that she's not there nor are the other white tigers.

"Relax she's fine…" Kevin reassured Ray. This calmed the older man down "…she just went to the ball alone, without an escort"

"WHAT??!!!!" with that, Ray rushed to the bathroom. He remembered last time Mariah went to the ball alone. She got forced to dance with drunkards and then was forced to come with them to a motel. If he hadn't shown up, she would've been raped.

Kevin sighed as Ray took a few clothes from the cabinets, and rushed to the bathroom to get cleaned slipping on a rubber ducky on the floor in the process.

Ray fell on his back hard against the tile floor while cursing the evil toy. "God danmit, who the hell plays with rubber duck's here anyway!!"

Kevin stayed silent after that. The raven-haired man then took a shower, got clothed and tied his hair into that all too familiar ponytail. He then grabbed Kevin by the collar and rushed to the ballroom.

End of flashback

"And when he saw you being forced by that man, he got really furious and forgot all about me while dashing towards your direction" Kevin finished.

Ray is as red as a tomato by now while Mariah lightly laughed at the story. She thought it was funny when Ray bumped his head on the steel beam and when he slipped on the rubber ducky.

After settling down, Ray thought it's time to make his move. Mariah already did. "Umm, Mariah, there's something a want to ask you"

Hopefully, Kevin gets the cue and he did as the green haired boy excused himself and left. Mariah felt the atmosphere become serious.

"Yes? What is it Ray?"

"Well, remember when I was…umm…in a coma?" Ray stuttered as his face reddened once more. He looked down on the floor not believing that he's actually doing this.

"Uh-huh" Mariah nodded. She has a feeling that she knows where this is going.

"Umm…well….you see…ummm…uhh…" _'Damnit!! Come on Ray…it's now or never'_ "You said….umm…you said…"

"Yes? I said what?" Mariah urged Ray to continue. The suspense is killing her and the blush on his face isn't helping either.

"You said 'Goodnight Ray…I love you" there, he finally finished. He looked up to face her eye to eye. "Is that…true? Do you really love me?" he asked hopeful for her answer.

Mariah's jaw dropped. _'He heard me?'_ both bliss and nervousness surged through her entire system. "Umm…uhh…umm…" she must've taken a long time to answer because Ray beat her to it.

"Don't worry Mariah, you don't have to answer…" Ray smiled at her, disappointment evident in his voice "…I understand that you probably have nothing to say during that time so…I guess…you just said what first came to your mind"

Mariah just stood there. They never broke their dance position but they did stop the slow dance. She detected the disappointment in his tone and she put it there. How could she? How _dare_ she? She was so afraid to confess her feelings for him to the extent that he assumed it was just empty words. Her heart ached as she remembered what happened in the market place. She was so desperate that she thought she won't get the chance to confess her feelings to him. And now, he opened up another opportunity for her and she blew it.

Her heart clenched as did her hands on his chest. She lowered her face so her bangs would conceal her eyes. tears trickled from her golden orbs down the floor. She is so stupid!!!

Ray panicked, misinterpreting her tears "Mariah...Mariah!! Listen, I'm sorry I brought it up. I promise I won't bother you again. This wouldn't ruin our friendship now right? Mariah please—"

She lightly tugged at his collar to cut him off. And he did. "Ray, I'm so sorry. It's just that, you were…you were so beat up that I thought I won't be able to tell you how I feel…" she leaned and sobbed on his slightly exposed chest. "The doctor said that it was a miracle you're alive and at that time, I thought I'd lose you. you were always there for me Ray and that's why it hurt me so much to see you in that coma and never tell you that I…." she paused trying to recompose herself. Ray simply stared at her "…that I…I live you Ray. What I said that evening is true. I love you so please…" she looked up at him with teary red eyes "…please accept me!!!"

Ray stared at her for a while then, his eyes softened and he smiled. "Don't worry Mariah, I accept it" no words need to be said. Mariah knew that he loved her too and she is happy.

She smiled sincerely then turned into a mischievous one. "Could you say it?"

"Say what?" Ray asked.

"You know. Say it!!! Say it!!!"

"Do I have to? You already what know that I do feel the same"

"Come on Ray, say it. It's good luck when a couple confesses in the grand ball"

Ray scoffed at that then looked at her eyes, his lips turned upwards into a smirk "Alright…I love you, Mariah"

Mariah smiled and rested her head on his chest. Closing her eyes and savoring the meaning of those three words with her name at the end said by the man she loved most. "I love you too, Ray" she looked up and met with his eyes.

Golden orbs stared with equally golden ones as their owners neared each other to form the first kiss of the evening.

Everyone in the ballroom clapped their hands. The first kiss is always an event to them because it is believed that those who kiss first in the grand ball will have their bonds strengthened a hundred fold. Few people actually do it because their too shy.

The couple ignored the crowd and savored the feeling of each other's lips. If there is no such thing as forever, then they'll make one with their love for each other.

end

This is the last chapter. If you guys liked this fic, then send me a review because there's a sequel to this in my head just waiting to be written and posted.

Like always, Please review


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